Blossoms
by Der Traumer
Summary: Touya admits his crush to a new member of the Shinobi, and she volunteers to act as matchmaker, despite trouble in her own love life. But when Riesho gets involved everything goes to the dogs. shonen-ai JinxTouya -COMPLETE-
1. Confessions

Uh...this is my first fic on and it was a just a random idea I thought was cute. read and review (but pleeease be gentle cuz it is my first time)

Disclaimer: If I really need to tell you, Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters do not belong to me in any way. But, in this fic I've created Souji and Kiri, and they are mine.

****

**

* * *

**

**Blossoms**

By: Der Träumer

_Pt. 1 "Confessions"_

"Souji! Souji, wait!" Kiri called after the fire master. She stumbled and knocked him over as soon as she was in stride with him.

Kiri's eyes went wide. "Oh, my God, I'm so sorry, Souji! I'm such a klutz! I never do anything right!"

"It's okay Kiri," he growled through clenched teeth and began to recollect the wood he had been carrying. He stood and noticed that he'd missed a piece.

"Oh, let me get that!" Kiri bent down and snatched the log off the ground and set it on top of his pile, causing the whole thing to tumble to the ground yet again.

"Oh, my God, let me..."

Souji put up a hand, and through gritted teeth said, "Don't touch anything! I'll get it. It's fine."

Pouting, rejected (again), and a bit teary eyed, Kiri watched Souji pick up his firewood.

Souji started toward his trailer, and Kiri made to follow, but when he noticed, Souji stopped. "Where are you going?"

"Home with you?"

Souji sighed. "I thought you didn't like the smoke from the fireplace." As a fire master, he loved it.

"I'll get over it."

"You said it was too hot last time, remember?" he tried.

"I was in jeans, Kiri answered. Today, she wore a Hawaiian print sundress that she was certain he would like and-like always-he didn't care.

Souji sighed. Kiri was like a lost puppy in the rain, following him even when he pushed her away. "Look, Kiri, I want _me_ time today," he said, trying to be as gentle as possible, "Why don't you go home for the night?"

Kiri made no attempt to hide her feelings. Her pointed black wolves ears drooped and her gem bright green eyes dimmed.

Souji sighed and pretended he was unaffected by her puppy face.

After he was almost out of sight, Kiri stomped her foot in frustration. "God dammit, he always used to fall for that face," she grumbled and began the trek back to her own trailer.

She got there and realized with a loud curse that, due to the lack of pockets in her dress, she hadn't brought a key. With a sigh, she walked next door to Touya's.

He opened the door with only the slightest glance at her outfit. "Hey, Kiri. You lock yourself out again?" he asked already digging through the basket by the door.

"Yeah," Kiri admitted as he followed her to her trailer. Touya unlocked the door and held it open for her.

"Thanks, Touya," she said and flipped on a light, revealing the growth of flora that decorated the trailer. "You wanna come in? Have something to drink?" she asked, handing him the key back. Then, as an afterthought, she added, "I'll make supper."

This decided Touya, who couldn't boil water. "Sure."

Kiri sat on the couch and leaned over to undo her high healed sandals. She sighed and wiggled her toes to get the cramps out.

"God, how do you wear those?" Touya asked.

"The price you pay for beauty," she answered simply.

"You like him enough to wear those torture devises?"

Kiri looked up from massaging her sore feet. "I don't know what you mean."

"Like it's not obvious. You were in cargo pants and t-shirts when you first got here. Souji shows up and all the sudden you're dressing like a girl." He thought a moment. "And you follow him around everywhere."

"Like a puppy in the rain, and he still doesn't see me as more than a..." she paused and thought a moment, "_puppy in the rain_," she sighed, admitting Touya was right. "But if it takes me till I die, he'll like me back."

Touya laughed at the younger demon's drama.

"I'm serious, Touya, haven't you every felt that way about someone?"

Touya thought of Jin and flushed. He tried to change the subject, "What are you making for supper? I'm starving."

"You're avoiding my question," Kiri accused.

"No, I'm just hungry."

"Then answer my question and I'll go make dinner."

Touya sighed, for some reason or another the plant master wasn't going to let him not answer.

"Have you Touya?" Kiri prompted.

It was no use to lie, Kiri would find him out. "I guess I've like Jin for a while," he answered.

"Awwww! That's soo cute!" Kiri gushed, "Do you know what he thinks about you?"

Touya blushed redder and shook his head. For some reason he was predicting that something bad was going to happen; Kiri's pensive silence being his reason.

ende

* * *

Hope you liked it. Eight reviews before I post the next chapter sound reasonable?


	2. Match Maker

digirain: ur right, I gave up on waiting for eight reviews. I know it's short! ::sigh:: the wonders of transfering things from paper to computer.

Aloisia Rhodes: thank you thank you blush. I'm, glad you liked Kiri, and uh...sry I didn't update two days ago like I told you I would

LoUdMoUtH87: thankyou for reading, I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I am updating sooner than I planned

Disclaimer: what do you think?

this is just the next chapter, no more to say than that.

**

* * *

**

**Blossoms**

By: Der Träumer

_pt. 2 "Match Maker"_

Kiri thought another moment. "Then we'll just have to figure out what he thinks!"

Touya went from red to a sour green. "We?"

"Well, unless you think you can do it by yourself."

Touya didn't answer, which Kiri took as a no. "I didn't think so, so I'll be your match maker!"

"Uh...Kiri, it's okay, you don't..."

She cut him off. "It's okay, Touya, I want to! It'll be fun!"

He was afraid she'd say that.

"And maybe having a boyfriend will force you to lighten up," she added as an afterthought.

He sighed; no turning back now.

And without saying anything else, Kiri ducked through a curtain of vines to her kitchen.

About halfway through their meal, Kiri decided to re-bring-up Jin.

"So, Touya, what's Jin's favorite restaurant?"

"I don't know," he answered with a shrug and slurped up another spaghetti noodle.

Kiri gaped. Then, one of the many vines in her kitchen opened a drawer and brought Kiri a pad of paper and a pen. She muttered a thank you to the plant and started scribbling on the paper.

"Do you know his favorite food at least?"

"Chocolate," Touya answered.

Kiri grinned; she knew that too, and scribbled something more on the paper.

After several more questions, she stopped and handed the pad and pen back to the vine, which put it away. "I think that's all I'll need for right now.

Touya finished his spaghetti and watched as Kiri rummaged through all the drawers in her kitchen, looking for something.

"Damn it, I had them three days ago," he heard Kiri mutter as she dug through drawers in an adjacent room. "Found them!"

Kiri returned with two slips of paper in her hand. She gave them to Touya.

Touya immediately recognized the name printed in ornate lettering as a more expensive Japanese steakhouse.

"They were originally for me and Souji," she explained, "But Souji has to say more than 'go away' to me before I want to use them. And that's going to be a while." She winked at him. "And you need them more anyway."

Touya's pale complexion went considerably paler at the idea of Jin in a high society restaurant. "Kiri are you sure..."

Again, she didn't let him finish. "Touya, don't worry about it; they were going to expire before I could get Souji to go with me anyway. Take them."

That hadn't been what he meant, but once Kiri had her mind set to do something, there was no turning her around. There was no use in trying to convince Kiri that the excitable wind master and a five star restaurant might not get along very well.

He sighed, "Thanks, Kiri."

"No problem."

After an awkward silence while Kiri washed dishes Touya decided it was time for him to leave. "I'm gonna head home now, Kiri."

"Alright, see ya," she answered with a stretch and yawn as she walked him to the door. "Oh, and good luck, Touya-kun."

ende

* * *

did u like it? It doesn't seem as good as the first chapter ::frown::, but as long as someone says they like it than I'll keep posting, deal? 


	3. First Date

LoUdMoUtH87: thank you again ::blush:: so glad ur enjoying it

Aloisia Rhodes: i always thought that when I write everything (especially characters) seems too exaggerated. Glad you like it!

Impersonating-an-entity: thanks for reading. I'm glad u like Souji and Kiri, and, no worries, they come back shortly. uh...about the trailers, I tried really hard not to dwell on those too much. When I started writing I just sorta blanked on what to call them. thanks again

Disclaimer: you all already know, yes?

****

* * *

**Blossoms**

By: Der Träumer

_pt. 3 "First Date"_

Touya'd been avoiding Kiri all day but as the gem eyed, wolf eared flora master walked over to him, he knew he'd been avoiding the inevitable.

"Hi, Touya!" the excitable demon exclaimed as she stopped just short of running into him.

"Hi, Kiri," he answered none of Kiri's exuberance mirrored in his tone.

"So?" Kiri asked.

"So what?" he responded, pretending he didn't know what she was talking about.

"Sooooo, have you asked him yet?" Kiri was shifting from foot to foot excitably.

Touya didn't answer, but he was sure Kiri already knew what he was going to say.

"Tooouuyaa!" she exploded, "It's practically nooooon! When were you going to ask him?" Irritated green eyes flashed at him.

"Um..."

"Don't say it Touya. You're either going say 'I don't know' or 'I wasn't going to today.'" She sighed. "Do you even _have _the gift certificates?"

Touya sighed too. "Here."

"Now come on!" Kiri grabbed his arm and proceeded to drag him in search of Jin.

They found Jin asleep in a field of flowers. The wind master looked peaceful with his eyes closed and hands behind his head.

"Jin! Wake up!" Kiri called down to him.

Jin ears twitched and his bright blue eyes flew open to meet familiar bright green ones. "Heya, Kiri. Wa's up?"

Kiri cut right to the chase. "Are you busy tonight?"

Jin shook his head.

"Good, see, I told ya so, Touya." She turned back to Jin who was shaking flower petals out of his shaggy red hair.

Kiri pulled the gift certificates out of her back pocket. "My brother sent me these, but my mom wanted me to help her clean house, and this was my only free day, so I'm giving them to you and Touya." She handed them to Jin.

Did Kiri even have a brother? And since when did she keep in touch with her mother? Touya wondered if she'd already had that story planned in case is he "chickened out", or if she came up with it on the spot.

It took Jin a moment to recognize the name. "Cool! Thankya', Kiri!" He caught the small flora master in a crushing embrace that lifted her to her toes.

"Don't thank me," she gasped, "It was all Touya's idea."

Jin dropped her and caught Touya in the same bear hug.

The ice master flushed a crimson that looked painful across his pale cheeks. Over Jin's shoulder, he could see Kiri grinning from one furry ear to the other, success written all over her face. Touya wasn't sure if he wanted to glare at her or thank her.

XxXxX

Touya was stressed as he buttoned up the black coat. Jin was sure to get them kicked out before their meals had even arrived.

He sighed; images of food flying around in whirlwinds throughout the restaurant crossed his mind. He wished Kiri had been able to see in that light of things _before _she got him into this.

A knock on the door alerted him to Jin's arrival.

Touya opened it to see Jin standing before him in a white suit with his hair some semblance of brushed.

"Kiri did all that didn't she?" Touya asked, gesturing at Jin's new attire.

Jin nodded, "She kept tellin' me 'bout how them humans dressed like this." He snorted. "Weird humans ya ask me. Ya can't feel the wind when yer in these things." He yanked on the sleeve of his jacket.

Touya just grinned.

XxXxX

Total shock. That was the only way to describe Touya as he watched Jin eat.

Albeit, he wasn't as neat as the human customers, but he was trying. He made use of the napkin given to him. There was no food in his hair, on the floor, or flying through the room. For Jin, this was being polite.

The only thing Jin did that was earning glares from other tables was his endless _loud _chatter. And if the people around them didn't like that, they could move.

XxXxX

"Sheesh," Jin sighed as he walked Touya home. "Kiri said them humans ate funny, but she didn' say it'd be tha' hard."

"Kiri taught you to behave like that?" Touya asked, not at all surprised.

"She said I'd embarrass ya, Tou-kun, if I didn't," he answered, "So I tried real hard to be..." he trailed, trying to think of the word Kiri had used. "Sawfist somethin'."

"Sophisticated?" Touya tried.

"Yeah!" Jin agreed.

Touya smiled broadly, flattered that Jin put that much effort into trying not to embarrass him. "Well, you were very sophisticated," Touya said.

Jin beamed.

"Night, Jin," Touya said and went inside.

ende

* * *

ugh! I'm losing my plot! On the bright side the thicker end of the plot starts next chapter, but like I said, I lose any trace of humor with it (hence why I called this romance/angst, for some reason they don't give a romance/angst/humor choice). Kiri/Souji fans prepare to hate Riesho! oh, and for those of you who were expecting a total catastrophe at the restaurant, sry. Since I normally write closer to black humor (if any humor intentionally), I didn't think I'd write it well, and it was unnecessary. c u next chapter! 


	4. Misinterpretations

OMG, I'm sooooo sry this took so long to update!!! I hate homework and school and all that crap, I never have free time ::sob:: Plz forgive me!!

Thankyou sooo much to all myreviewers, you have no idea how much you mean to me, and special thanks to Impersonating-An-Entity for giving me your vote of confidence. chibi eyes thankyou sooooooo much.

And now that I'm done rambling... **

* * *

**

**Blossoms**

By: Der Träumer

_pt.4 "Misinterpretations"_

Kiri knocked on Souji's door.

Souji answered the door. "Hi Kiri," he sounded exasperated.

"Can I come in?"

"No."

Kiri pouted and her ears drooped. "How come?"

"It's late."

"It's eight."

"Well…I need to wake up early tomorrow, so I have to get to bed," he lied. He wasn't about to admit to Kiri that he was starting to feel…peculiar when he was around her.

"Souji, you never…"

He cut her off and tried just being blunt. "Kiri, just go home."

Kiri'd never looked more rejected. Her ears, which were already drooping, drooped further, and her eyes dimmed to near gray.

Souji fumbled for a way to apologize without _actually _apologizing, but Kiri was already gone.

XxXxX

Kiri was almost home when the blow to the back of her knee sent her sprawling. A hand roughly grabbed the back of her shirt and slammed her into a tree.

Kiri yelped, black spots dancing across her vision, and when they faded she was staring into Riesho's narrowed eyes.

"R…Riesho," she stammered, "What's a matter?"

"Stay away from Souji," he snarled. Riesho's hand was now clamped over Kiri's throat.

"W...why?" she gasped.

"I don't want couples among the Shinobe!" He slammed her head against the tree for emphasis.

Kiri let out a strangled yelp. "Why do you care?"

"The insolence!" Riesho threw her aside.

Kiri tried to catch her footing, but failed and twisted her ankle, sending her to the ground.

Riesho stalked toward her. "It doesn't matter why I care! It matters that I said so!" He raised his hand to slap her.

"Riesho, wha' the hell is goin' on here?"

Riesho spun around. Jin stood there, his eyes narrowed and his mouth set in a frown (an otherwise very un-Jinly expression).

"Jin…uh…nothing." Of the Shinobe, Jin was the only member that Riesho cringed before.

"Tha's what I thought." Jin's expression softened as soon as Riesho was gone. "Ya okay?" he offered Kiri his hand.

She took it, but stumbled on her twisted ankle.

"I gotcha'," Jin caught Kiri in his arms to carry her home.

He set Kiri down on her doorstep. "Ya sure ya okay?" he asked, looking down at the small flora master.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said quickly.

Jin suddenly wrapped his arms around her. "Kiri, if tha' stupid baka tries ta hurt ye again, ya just tell me, 'kay?"

XxXxX

Touya had expected Kiri to come rushing over to ask how his "date" had gone, and when she didn't, he decided he should at least go over and thank her for Jin's etiquette lessons.

When Touya opened his door, the first thing he saw was the last thing he expected.

Kiri was wrapped in Jin's - his Jin's - embrace. Pain, hate, betrayal, and sadness overwhelmed him all at once. How could Kiri do this to him? He went inside to wallow in his anguish.

XxXxX

With a frustrated sigh Souji slammed his fist into the couch cushion. He did like Kiri! Despite Riesho's threats, despite how he tried to push her away, he couldn't deny his feelings for the wolf-eared demoness.

And he had just rather harshly told her to go home. God, he had to apologize to her.

He ran out the door, forgetting his shoes and shirt, only in his black cargo pants.

He stopped dead when he saw Kiri in Jin's arms. _No, _he thought, _No, dammit, I pushed her too hard. I tried to hard to push her away, and now she's lost to me. _Souji walked home solemnly, all the while berating himself.

His last thought before his tears dried up and he fell asleep was _Damn Riesho!_

XxXxX

Kiri sat down on the couch and kicked her shoes off, all the while thinking about Riesho's words.

_Stay away from Souji._

_I don't want couples in the Shinobe._

Surely he knew about what she was doing for Touya. If his goal was to prevent couples in the Shinobe, why not tell her to stop that too?

* * *

Ha ha, cliffhanger. Grrrr, i wrote that chapter a while ago and just got to posting it, so it doesn't seem as good as it did when i first wrote it. Anyway, hope you liked it.

Der Traumer


	5. Patching

Hey, I'm so so so sorry it took me so long to update! Please forgive me, it's all school's fault! Now that I'm finally on spring break I had time to do some seriuos writing.  
I know this is really short! I handwrite a lot of my stuff first, and then I type it.  
I don't like this chapter as much as the last four, it doesn't seem to fit perfectly because it's been so long since I've worked on this, but I tried.  
Last thing, I'm sorry if the way I wrote Jin's accent doesn't match earlier chapters. If anything I tried to make it sound better this chapter. Feel free to tell me I was mistaken and made it worse.

Disclaimer: nope, still don't own it**

* * *

**

**Blossoms  
**By: Der Träumer

_pt. 5 "Patching"_

"Touya!" Kiri banged on the ice master's door. "Touya-kun, wake up!" she shouted.

Touya wasn't answering. It was almost ten o'clock, and unlike most of most of the Shinobe, he was an early riser. He should be awake.

"Touya, I know you're in there!" Kiri called through the door. The roses that she'd planted near the steps had informed her that Touya hadn't left.

Touya hadn't left. Kiri was right. He was sitting on his couch, silent, waiting for the flora master to leave. He didn't want to talk to her, not after what he'd seen last night.

He lifted his head from his hands, hearing a momentary pause in the banging, hoping Kiri was gone. More loud knocking dashed his hopes. He slumped back against the couch. Why'd she want to talk to him anyway?

"Touya!" she whined loudly.

No longer wanting to deal with her obnoxious banging and shouting, Touya stood and flung the door open.

"What, Kiri?" he snapped.

Kiri flinched at his tone, but was otherwise unfazed. "Morning, Touya!" she greeted with a smile. "How'd you and Jin's date go?"

"Why don't you ask him?" Touya answered coldly and started to close the door.

Predictably, Kiri didn't take the hint. "'Cuz I'm asking you," she answered catching the door with one hand. "Come on, Tou-kun, tell me," she whined staring up at him with large green eyes.

Touya resisted the urge to just slam the door closed. "Look, Kiri, I don't want to talk about it." _Especially not with you._ He put a little more pressure on the door.

"But, why? Did it go badly?" Her eyes widened. "Oh, no, did Jin…"

"No, Jin didn't do anything!" he reassured. _Or at least not what you're thinking of._ "I just don't want to talk about it with you, okay?"

Kiri was no longer paying attention to holding the door open, and Touya managed to push it shut.

Kiri stood and stared forlornly at the door, ears drooping, for several moments, then went in search of Jin.

After talking to several trees, she found Jin in his favorite spot, lying apparently asleep in a field of flowers that were swaying in the spring breeze. Kiri leaned over him to see if he was actually asleep. "Jin, are you awake?" she asked.

One blue eye opened and then the other. "Ya, I'm awake, Kiri, whatcha' need?"

"Jin, how'd you and Touya's date go last night?" she asked sitting next to him.

"It wen' jis' fine, I think. I did all the stuff ya told meh to, and…" he stopped in mid-thought. "Wait, did'ya jis' call it a date?"

When he'd started Kiri had though the energetic wind master had missed her slip up, but it appeared he hadn't. "Uh…yeah."

"Why'd ya do that?"

Kiri was already treading deep water. She heaved a sigh and decided she might as well spill it. "I called it a date because Touya likes you, and I was sending you and him to the restaurant so he could sorta' have a date with you, but now he won't talk to me about it. I thought maybe you'd know why, but since everything went fine…"

Jin thought a minute. "I'll go talk ta him," Jin said decisively without bothering to tell Kiri what he had in mind, then disappeared in a flurry of winds.

This left Kiri sitting alone in the field of flowers hoping Jin wasn't going to do something stupid that would get Touya angry with her…angrier than he already was?

XxXxX

Jin knocked on Touya's door.

"Go away, Kiri," Touya snarled.

"It's not Kiri, Tou-kun," Jin answered.

Touya recognized Jin's voice and hesitated before standing and opening the door. "Hello, Jin."

"How come ya didn' want ta tell Kiri 'bout our date?" he asked cocking his head to one side.

Touya wasn't sure how to answer when he realized his crush's choice of words. "Why'd you call it a date, Jin?"

"'Cuz, Kiri-chan told meh ya wanted it ta be a date," he answered.

Touya stared at his feet, waiting for Jin's disgusted response to what Kiri had told him. It never came.

"'S it true, Touya? Do ya like meh?"

Touya managed to drag his gaze from his feet when he noticed there was no revulsion in Jin's voice. "Yeah, it's true, Jin."

Suddenly Jin caught him in a crushing embrace. "I like you too, Touya!" he pronounced childishly to the squished figure in his arms.

When Jin let him go, Touya wore a shocked expression. "But what about last night…with Kiri?"

"Wha?..." Jin didn't know what Touya was talking about. "Oh, last night!" Jin realized Touya meant his and Kiri's goodnight embrace. "Riesho ruffed Kiri up a lil' last night, she needed rescuen.' I was jis' makin' sure she was alright." Jin caught Touya in another embrace. "'Sides, Kiri's my lil' sister. You shud know that!"

Touya was too relieved to answer. He owed Kiri an apology later.

Not far away, perched in a tree watching, was Kiri. Seeing the two's second embrace she gave a triumphant little shout and hopped from the tree. One blossoming relationship made, one to go. She just had to do something about Souji.

Ende

* * *

I know, it's no where near as good as the last couple chapters! I'm so sorry! Please stick around for the conclusion though :chibi eyes: and see what happens to Kiri and Souji! 

thankyou thankyou to you that are still reading!

much luv,  
Der Traumer


	6. Souji's Keeper

hey hey, I'm back for the final chapter. Sorry it took so long to update, but it's all school's fault i swear!

anyway, I know the last chapter was a really typical Jin/Touya fluff, but i had to wrap them up before I could finish Kiri and Souji! please forgive me :chibi eyes:

Disclaimer: look back at chapter one, I don't feel like retyping it

Warning: uh...this is chapter that made this a PG-13 rating, if i tell you more it'll give away my plot

enjoy!

**

* * *

**

**Blossoms**

By: Der Träumer

_pt. 6 "Souji's Keeper"_

"…stay away or I'll…" Riesho drew his finder slowly across his throat.

Loud banging on the door kept Souji from replying.

"Deal with it," Riesho said calmly and stormed out, nearly knocking Kiri over when he opened the door. Seeing the flora master, he flashed a predatory smile.

Kiri flinched away from him.

Souji steeled himself for what he knew he had to do. "I'm sorry, Kiri, I really am." He fixed his face in an angry expression.

Kiri barely managed to step out of the way when Souji flung the door open. "Uh…hey, Souji," she managed, not liking the look he was fixing her with.

"What do you want?" he snarled, pushing away the urge to catch her to him and tell her everything.

Kiri was panicking. Souji had been cold to her before, but never like this. "I…uh…" _Spit it out._ "Igrewtheseforyou." She swallowed and produced a flower pot." "They reminded me of you…or the red one did, but whenever I tried to take the other one out it wilted."

Souji stared, transfixed at them for a moment. They were like lilies; the one that reminded Kiri of him was splashed with fire tones, from the darkest red to the brightest yellow. The other was tie-dyed with earth tones from brown to dark blue. They were unnatural looking, something only Kiri could have grown.

Souji swallowed, unable to speak. He squinted his eyes shut and knocked the pot from her hands. _It's for her own good,_ he tried to tell himself as he watched the pot shatter on the ground. "God, Kiri, do I have to spell it out for you…" he gulped, "I don't like you!" he tried to make it sound as convincing as possible.

Nothing could have prepared him for Kiri's reaction. She didn't say anything, just stared at the shattered pottery. Her ears were flat; her eyes were so faded he could barely distinguish the whites from the iris. She looked up at him, her expression filled with pain. One solitary tear dripped down her cheek. "Fine," the word was so quiet he barely heard it. Then, without giving him time to reply, she walked away her steps as graceful as if it had never happened.

Souji closed the door and slumped against it. "That could have gone worse," he said bitterly and shook his head, a sad smile dancing across his features. He frustratedly ran his hands through his hair. He wanted to undo it all so bad. "It was for her own good. It was for her own good. It was for her…" he trailed, voice choking off. He fell to a sitting position, face buried in his hands. "I'm sorry," he sobbed, "If I could undo it all I would."

After several moments, he stood decisively and opened the door. "Screw you Riesho," he murmured, collecting the broken pottery and bringing it inside, the carefully picked up the fallen flowers.

He placed the flowers in a cup of water, then went to work melding the pot back together, all the while thinking about what had started this…

_"Who's the boy?" Riesho asked the bartender._

_"Works here," was the reply, "Sells himself."_

_Riesho gave him an appreciative once over. He had a lean, but well-muscled figure and a very young face with large eyes, even though he was probably fifteen or sixteen. He motioned him to come over. Souji had obediently placed himself in Riesho's lap. A coy grin revealing to fangs instead of eye teeth. He was a demon._

_Between alcohol and pillow talk Souji had revealed everything about himself to Riesho including his fire._

_"We're leaving," Riesho shouted the next morning to wake Souji._

_Souji sat up confused, "We?"_

_"I bought you. We're going somewhere where your fire will be better appreciated." Riesho sat beside him and ran and icy hand from his neck down to his thigh. "Just because we're leaving here, though, doesn't change anything. You're still mine."_

"I thought I could…be only yours and push everyone else at arm's length, but Kiri had to come. It'd been two years, I thought my debt had been paid, but you said I was still yours." Souji clenched his fist. "I pushed her away and denied my feelings for her, even to myself, for almost an entire year. I won't do it anymore!" He carefully placed the last piece and melted it into place. He took the flowers and put them in as well as ash from his fireplace.

He took a sticky note off the kitchen counter and scrawled, "We need to talk," across it. Nothing romantic or witty about it. He knew that wasn't what the situation called for.

XxXxX

Kiri lay on her couch, sobbing uncontrollably into a pillow. She felt so hopeless and crushed. It was so much worse than all the other times. He had never been like this; never actually said he didn't like her like that. She didn't know what to do. There didn't seem to be anything left.

The door bell rang.

Kiri ignored it, lacking the heart to get up.

Souji sighed; he didn't really expect her to answer. He set the pot by the door. "Even if you love Jin, or never want to talk to me again, I have to tell you how I feel." He rang the doorbell again and started toward his home.

Kiri stood, then very slowly made her way to the door. She peered out the window and saw Souji walking away. A splash of color on the doorstep drew her eyes from him. She unlocked and opened the door. Seeing the flowers sitting there in the once shattered pot, all she could do was stare in confusion. She caught sight of the yellow sticky note, stuck unceremoniously to its side. She squatted down and pulled it off.

"I need to talk to you," she read aloud. She looked up at where Souji had been and took the plant inside. She wanted so badly to run after him but… He'd hurt her, hurt her real bad, and she wasn't sure she was willing to forgive him, even if it was an apology he was offering.

She slumped back down on the couch and buried her face in her hands, crying more tears of hurt and confusion.

XxXxX

Souji opened the door and reached for the light switch. A haunting voice from within the house caused him to freeze in mid-motion.

"I thought I told you to stay away from her," it hissed.

"I don't care, Riesho, you don't own me anymore!" he answered defiantly and made his way further into the house, not bothering with the lights.

Cold arms wrapped around him from behind. "But, my boy, yes I do. Remember where you'd be if I hadn't found you."

"You can't send me back. I'm too strong now. You have nothing on me. You can't control me." He tried to wriggle free of the larger man, but Riesho only tightened his grip.

"Wrong again, Souji. I do have something on you. I have the flora master." Riesho laughed and nuzzled Souji's throat. "You've been very cooperative in revealing your feelings for her." Riesho slid his hands up Souji's black tank top.

Souji yelped at the icy touch on his bare skin. A candle on the table lit fire, its flame growing upwards in a long rope and making its way toward Riesho.

"Call it off, Souji," Riesho ordered.

"And let you have me?" Souji scoffed, "Let you think you still own me?"

"Call it off," Riesho hissed and licked along Souji's ear. "Call it off, or when I'm done with you, I'll leave you broken on this floor and kill the girl while you lay in your own blood." He kissed Souji's neck. "You know if I wanted to kill you I could. You know your three years of training cannot compare with my lifetime. If you struggle you will die, and I will kill the girl."

Riesho trailed his hands lower and Souji choked back another cry, surrendering himself to those icy hands. He knew Riesho was right, and that he wouldn't hesitate to kill both him and Kiri. Souji could only squint his eyes shut against the tears as Riesho touched him. _I love you Kiri._ He desperately sought solace in that thought.

XxXxX

Souji yanked his pants back up and collapsed against the sofa. He was panting quietly and trembling a little. He still hurt in a lot of places and blood trickled from several bite marks marring his torso.

Riesho straightened his own clothes. "I suppose I'll see you later." He turned toward the door, right as it was knocked on.

"Souji!" Kiri called from the other side. "You said you wanted to talk to me?"

Riesho was going to just let her keep banging.

"Souji, are you in there? Is everything okay? Why'd you want to talk to me?" On the other side of the door, Kiri was becoming worried. The snapdragons by the door when asked if Souji was here went into hysterics, telling Kiri to get away. "Souji are you okay?" In a last ditch effort to figure out what was wrong, she reached for the door and realized it was unlocked. "Look, Souji, I'm coming in!"

Riesho realized this would not be good and flung the door open before Kiri got the chance. "Well, look who's here. Kiri we were just talking about you, weren't we Souji?" he called to the bedraggled figure on the couch.

Kiri tried to look around him to see Souji, but Riesho purposely moved so she couldn't. "What's going on, Riesho?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

A wicked idea came to Riesho's mind. "We were trying to think of a gentle way to tell you about our relationship."

Kiri's breath hitched. "What?"

Souji sprung from the couch, ignoring the pain it caused him. "Liar!" he snarled and lunged at him. "He lies, Kiri!"

Riesho knocked him to the ground and placed a foot on his chest to hold him down. "You insolent little fool. That was bold of you, but now I have to kill her, you know." He bent over so his face was only inches from Souji's. "Let this be a reminder, Souji-kun, you are mine!"

He turned away from Souji to see that Kiri was still in the doorway. "Well, haven't you made this easy for me," he mused.

Kiri's eyes seemed to glow an even brighter green as her anger rose. "Come to me," she whispered, and Riesho wondered what it meant. A vine tore through the floorboards and wrapped around his throat. She stalked toward him and another ripped through and bound his hands behind his back. Several more wrapped about him, holding him in place.

Kiri stood glaring up at him. "You're an asshole, Riesho, but I'm sure you already knew that," she stated, "You're also a liar, though, and the only thing I hate worse than an asshole is a liar." The vine tightened. "I want to kill you, but if you promise one thing, I'll let you leave."

"Name it," Riesho gasped.

"I don't know what this owning crap it about, but you let it go. You _don't _own Souji!" The vines dropped away. "Now get out!"

Riesho scrambled out the door and the vines and shrank back under the floorboards. Kiri's eyes stopped glowing and resumed their natural green.

"I'm really sorry about your floor, Souji, I promise I'll fix it!" she pleaded, dropping to her knees beside him. "You're hurt," she realized, "What happened?"

Souji sat up and wrapped his arms around her. "Let's not worry about it right now," hew answered.

"Uh…okay," she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I love you, Kiri," he told her after several moments, and pressed his mouth gently to hers. Kiri clumsily returned said kiss.

"I love you too," she answered when they broke apart.

Not far away Jin and Touya were sharing a similar moment.

On Kiri's kitchen table the lilies seemed to bloom even brighter than before.

ende finale

* * *

too sappy? too dramatic :sigh: was it at least a sorta surprise ending, with the whole Souji/Reisho thing? feedback would be greatly appreciated! 

thankyou to all you readers who followed this to the end!  
much love  
Der Traumer


End file.
